James Buchanan Conner

James Buchanan Conner passed away peacefully on April 17th 2025. Though his last few years were a struggle, he spent them at home surrounded by family, and aided by wonderful caregivers. He was born February 5th, 1937, to James F. and Carrie Conner. He grew up on the "north side" of Gallup, attended Washington elementary, Gallup junior high, and Gallup high school. He was a member of Boy's State, DeMolay International, and played sports at Gallup high. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of Shriners International.
James got a job on the railroad during his senior year of high school. The principal said he could not work and go to school, so he left school late in his senior year and joined the army, where he got his GED and could protect his railroad seniority. After basic training, he married his high school sweetheart, Beverly Matte in December 1956. He and Bev were stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where James was a member of the 82nd airborne.
He loved jumping out of airplanes. Their first son, Jimmy was born at Fort Bragg.
After his stint in the army, Jim brought his young family back to Gallup. He resumed his job with the Santa Fe/BNSF railroads for the next 30 years. James and Beverly had two more children, Kim, and Johnny. While in Gallup, he owned and operated Triple J Driveways, a small concrete and asphalt business. He loved that his employees were mostly Gallup fire department employees, because they worked different shifts, and that meant he always had men to work around his railroad schedule. I'm not sure Jimmy and Scott enjoyed running a train all night, and shoveling asphalt during the day!
After 50 years in Gallup, his job relocated the family to Los Lunas, New Mexico, where he retired after 44 years with the railroad. Since his adult son and daughter also had railroad connections, the entire immediate family moved to the Los Lunas/Belen area. Even though James's grandchildren were all born in Gallup, they were raised in Valencia county. Dad was always busy, and very talented. He was a "Jim"of all trades. He had a small engine repair license, a contractors license, and he could build or fix almost anything. Most of all, he loved to cut firewood in the Zuni mountains, and he and mom enjoyed camping in the Manzanos. He loved boating and fishing, with many trips to Lake Powell, Elephant Butte, Lake McPhee, and the many fishing lakes on the reservations surrounding Gallup. He enjoyed camping and hunting with Jimmy and the guys, mule rides with Bobby McKee, Vernon and his brother Tommy. He also thoroughly enjoyed the many years of railroad picnics. In retirement, he and mom loved traveling with Lorene and Jimmy Pomponi. Dad was a tough man, a little bit of a military hard ass... he'd say "we have two speeds in this house, running, and standing still"! If my brothers and I didn't do something right, we definitely were going to do it again! He believed in hard work. When you turned 12, you got job, and if that job was shoveling "poop", then you better shovel poop better than anyone and be proud of it!
Dad had a great sense of humor, not so much when the joke was on him! He had a temper too... if you knew him, you knew that! If you knew him, you also knew he liked a party... and Jim Beam. Many will remember Christmas parties at Jim and Bev's, with pool tournaments, dart games, and Tom and Jerry's. JB's love of parties continued on in Los Lunas. He opened his home, yard, and swimming pool to grandkids, friends, family reunions, and many Little League parties for his grandson Casey's baseball teams. Dad really enjoyed life!
James was preceded in death by his parents, James F. and Carrie Conner; wife, Beverly; sons, Jimmy and Johnny; sisters, Helen Tolson and Hazel Hamilton. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Kim and Scott Lewis; daughter-in-law, Laurie Conner; brother, Tom Conner; grandchildren, Crystal(Jesse Sanchez) and Casey Conner, Katelyn(Mariano Sanchez)and Jordan Lewis and great grandchildren, Brooke, Scotti, Jonny, Mariano, Mason, Lillie and Katie.
Honorary pallbearers are Tom Conner, Casey Conner, Michael Conner, Joe DiGregorio, James Tolson, Johnny Hamilton, Steven Gurley and Jeff Chiapetti.
The family would like to thank everyone for all the thoughts and prayers. We especially want to thank Tina and Wendi for the exceptional care they gave dad. They kept a sense of humor when most would have given up. We could not have done it without them! We would also like to thank the caring professionals at Noblin Funeral Service, and Rollie Mortuary.
In lieu, of flowers, please send donations to Shriners Hospitals for Children
A graveside service for JB will take place on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 1:00 pm at the Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery in Gallup, NM.
Arrangements are being handled by the caring professionals at the Noblin Funeral Service Belen Chapel, where an online guest register is available at www.noblin.com
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